NEW MEXICO PARTNERSHIP FOR MATH AND SCIENCE EDUCATION Meeting 

4/23/98 at 9 AM

Attending: Carlos Atencio, Carol Brown, Mary Jo Daniel, Claire Fenton,

Elaine Hampton, Pat Hess, Julie Johnston, Miguel Licona, Vicente Llamas,

Clo Mingo, Vanetta Perry, Kathryn Powell, Rick Scott, Maria Torres



I. NASSMC Report - Vicente Llamas reported that NASSMC is currently

funded mainly by grants from NASA. Two proposals are into NSF and one of

them would give selected states support to maintain systemic efforts

initiated by State Systemic Initiatives.



II. Collaboration with Business and Industry - It was proposed that Bill

Hammers be brought in to help us meet with business and interest leaders.

Claire Fenton stressed that we must better define the kind of

collaboration we want with them. Carlos Atencio indicated that one via of

collaboration that we could pursue has already been established by the

Middle Rio Grande Business Compact to support "School to Work"

initiatives. Julie Johnston suggested collaboration with Susan Herrera of

the LANL Foundation.



III. Discussion of Scholarship Opportunities - Julie Johnston announced

that in May a Los Alamos Employees' Scholarship Fund called "Dollar-a-

Scholar" would be announced and would raise funds mainly through payroll

deductions. The scholarships would be announced to schools in Fall 1998

with the first awards in Spring 1999. Applications would be accepted

from Northern New Mexico students and LANL employees who would be

seeking four-year degrees. Specific selection criteria will be developed

this summer.



The problems that high school counselors are often inundated with

scholarship information and teachers often don't receive such information

was discussed. It was suggested that Nancy Johnson at the Albuquerque

Community Foundation might have some ideas on scholarship information

dissemination. MESA, SACNAS and radio stations were also suggested as

means for disseminating scholarship information.



IV. Discussion of the Science and Math materials adoption cycles - Elaine

Hampton reported that a group composed of NMSTA, UCAN-RSI, the Center

for hands-On Learning, Sandia labs, CETP and Intel had put together a

"Toolkit" to assist schools in the science materials adoption. They are

considering ways to disseminate the toolkits. A planning Grant is also

being written for NSF that would involve 6-12 science teachers in

professional development related to materials adoption.



VI. Announcements 



1. Two collaboration with SEDL were taking place One involves what is

being called the "TIMSS Road Show". The plan is bringing together about

50 people to receive information about the Third International Math &

Science Study (TIMSS) and to discuss appropriate ways to disseminate

that information in New Mexico. That meeting was being held on April 23

and 24 in Albuquerque at the Museum of Natural History and was being co-

sponsored by the Partnership and the New Mexico Academy of Sciences.

The other was a meeting on April 24 and 25 at the Sheraton Old Town of

CETP Fellows (Master Teachers).



2. On Sundays at 5PM (Albuquerque) and 5:30 PM (Las Cruces) PBS will be

broadcasting programs developed in collaboration with the Annenberg

Foundation on the importance of mathematics.



3. The CRCM database (the New Mexico Science and Mathematics Resource

Directory) can be accessed through the UCAN-RSI website

(http://ucanrsi.nmhu.edu).



VII. Next meeting time and place. The next meeting is tentatively

scheduled for 9AM on July 27 at the Sandia Mountain Natural History

Center.